The Lost Diary Of Don Juan

Capturing the decadent and dangerous world of the Spanish Golden Age, this historical novel explores universal questions about the nature of love and desire--brought to life through Don Juan's secret childhood in a convent to his inescapable fall into the madness of love.

An editor receives a manuscript purporting to be the lost diary of history's greatest lover, Don Juan. An orphan left on the steps of a covent, Don Juan grew up within the church but his ambitions towards the priesthood fell to the wayside when he was seduced by a young nun. Evicted from the convent, he was taken under the wing of the libertine Don Pedro, the Marquis of Mota, who coached him in skills both courtly and amorous and then employed him as a spy at court. So began a life devoted to giving and receiving pleasure. But Abrams' Don Juan is no playboy; instead Don Juan's mastery of the arts of passion liberates the women he beds. Through his connections with Don Pedro, he is made an 'hidalgo', an honorary nobleman, and is therefore protected from the wrath of the Inquisition by the King, but his position is precarious. Then Don Juan embarks on the most perilous adventure of all - he falls in love, and finds that not only his reputation but also his life is in danger.

Raised secretly by nuns until he falls in love with one, Don Juan leaves the church and is recruited to be a spy by the powerful Marquis de la Mota, who teaches him to become the world's greatest libertine and seducer of women.

This companion to the instant New York Times bestseller The Book of Joy guides journalers with inspiring quotes from the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu to help them find joy in their own lives. In The Book of Joy, two great spiritual masters, Nobel laureates, and dear friends met for a landmark discussion on how we can live with joy even in the face of adversity. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu shared their personal stories of struggle and renewal as well as the joy practices they use themselves every day. Now this elegantly designed, 365-day journal prompts us with inspiring quotes to help transform the joy practices into an enduring way of life. This journal is the perfect companion for The Book of Joy's many passionate readers as well as an ideal gift for anyone looking to live a more joyful life.

BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre. Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

Filled with “breathtaking scenes” and “vivid” (Publishers Weekly) imagery, national bestselling author Douglas Carlton Abrams’s riveting ecological thriller blends shockingly true facts with a powerful narrative that pulls readers into a dangerous race through a majestic and mysterious world. Dedicated scientist Elizabeth McKay has spent almost a decade cracking the code of humpback whale communication. Their song, the most complex in nature, may in fact reveal unimaginable secrets about the animal world. When a humpback whale swims up the Sacramento River with a strange and unprecedented song, Elizabeth must decipher its meaning in order to save the whale and ultimately much more. But as her work captures the media’s interest, powerful forces emerge to stop her from revealing the animal’s secrets. Soon, Elizabeth is forced to decide if her discoveries are worth losing her marriage, her career, and possibly her life. Working closely with leading scientists for his extensive research into humpback whales and the harrowing ecological challenges they face today, national bestselling author Douglas Carlton Abrams has created a unique and timeless story that will transform readers and their relationship with the fragile world in which we live.

In 1968 University of California Press published an unusual manuscript by an anthropology student named Carlos Castaneda.ÊThe Teachings of Don Juan enthralled a generation of seekers dissatisfied with the limitations of the Western worldview. Castaneda's now classic book remains controversial for the alternative way of seeing that it presents and the revolution in cognition it demands. Whether read as ethnographic fact or creative fiction, it is the story of a remarkable journey that has left an indelible impression on the life of more than a million readers around the world.

Don Juan, an orphan left on the steps of a convent, grew up within the church, but his ambitions towards the priesthood fall to the wayside when he seduces a young nun. Through his connections with Don Pedro, his patron, he is made an honorary nobleman, and protected from the Inquisition.